Youngstown man sues to get portion of $99M Ohio Lottery winnings

CLEVELAND — A judge has ordered the Ohio Lottery Commission to set aside $2.8 million of a $99 million jackpot in case a Youngstown man wins a lawsuit for what he claims is his rightful share of the money.

The order came from Judge Eileen T. Gallagher of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in a lawsuit by Edward Hairston, 39, of Youngstown, who said a pool that included his co-workers purchased the winning Mega Millions ticket last month while he was on sick leave.

Hairston claimed he’s entitled to a share of the prize equal to those of his 22 fellow lottery players, most of them employed with him at the KraftMaid cabinet factory in Jefferson.

Hairston sued his fellow pool members and the Cleveland-based commission.

Hairston said he regularly played the lottery for several years in the pool, but was denied his share of the jackpot because he hadn’t been able to chip in his dues while he was on sick leave. Hairston maintained the pool’s past practice was to make payments on behalf of members on sick leave.